Conventional plastic bags such as those used to collect and dispose of pet waste are well known. Two major problems associated with handling pet waste are pet waste pollution, and the disposal of pet waste in plastic bags. With respect to pet waste pollution, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) classifies pet waste (e.g., from dogs and cats) as a dangerous pollutant in the same category of toxic chemicals and oils. Pet waste, e.g., dog waste, left on the street or lawn does not just go away or fertilize the grass. The bacteria in dog waste is often washed down storm drains and into ditches, streams, lakes, inlets and oceans and can travel for miles in the water. Cat waste dumped outside can also be washed into the water. The bacteria in pet waste can make it unsafe to harvest shellfish or swim in our waters. A day's waste from one large dog can contain 7.8 billion fecal coliform bacteria, enough to close 15 acres of shellfish beds.
The U.S. Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) confirms that pet waste contains ringworms, tapeworms and salmonella. When infected dog waste comes into contact with lawn, the waste (feces) will eventually disappear, but the parasite eggs can linger for years. When a human or animal comes into contact with that lawn, through everyday activities like walking barefoot, gardening or playing, they risk infection from those eggs even years after the feces is gone. Pet waste contains e. coli and other harmful bacteria including fecal coliform bacteria, which can cause serious kidney disorders, intestinal illness, cramps and diarrhea in humans. There are 23 million fecal coliform bacteria in a single gram of pet waste.
Additionally, dog waste often contains roundworm larvae, which can cause blindness. If a human ingests a roundworm larva, it can migrate through the body causing disease to the brain, lungs, kidneys, liver, heart or eyes. So when people (especially children) touch soil, dog toys or anything that has been in contact with dog feces and then touch their mouths or other open areas, they can become infected.
With respect to the disposal of pet waste in plastic bags, America's 83 million pet dogs produce some 10.6 million tons of waste every year. The Environmental Health Division of Thurston County Public Health and Social Services and other City Municipalities encourage pet owners to “scoop it, bag it, trash it” when referring to the pet waste from their pets. At home, durable plastic bags are used for dog waste or kitty litter and are tied securely and placed in a garbage can.
Today, cleaning up after your pet (e.g., dog) using a durable plastic bag is the urban norm, but it's not enough. Over the last century, plastic has taken over the planet. While plastics can be used and recycled wisely, the majority of those produced are not recycled wisely. Perhaps no other item symbolized the problems of our throw away culture more than the single-use plastic bag and are resulting in a range of environmental impacts and problems as it takes 1 second to produce, around 1 minute to use, more than 1 century to destroy!
Worldwide, a trillion single-use plastic bags are used each year, nearly 2 million each minute. Usage varies widely among countries, from over 400 a year for many, to just a four a year for people in Denmark and Finland. Americans use on average nearly one plastic bag each day, taking something made from fossil fuel formed over millions of years and generally using it for mere minutes before throwing it away. The energy required to make 12 plastic bags can drive a car a mile.
Plastic pollution involves the accumulation of plastic bag products in the environment that adversely affects wildlife, wildlife habitat and humans. Plastic that acts as pollutants are categorized into macro, mesa or micro debris, based on size. The prominence of plastic pollution is correlated with plastics being inexpensive and durable, which leads to high levels of plastics used by humans. However, plastic is slow to degrade. Humans are also affected by plastic pollution, such as through disruption of the thyroid hormone axis or sex hormone levels.
Given the multitude of problems associated with plastic bags, which are the most common plastic products disposed of everywhere; many communities around the world have attempted to free themselves from their addiction and use of plastic bags by implementing bag bans or fees. The oldest existing bag tax is in Denmark, which was passed in 1993. One of the most well-known bag measures is Ireland's national bag tax, which was adopted in 2002. Indeed, many communities have implemented plastic bag reduction measures. Throughout the European Union, many member states will soon be required to take measures to reduce plastic bag use by 80 percent by 2019. The State of California is considering passing the first state ban on plastic bags, and one of the loudest concerns comes from pet owners asking: “How will we scoop our dog's poop?”
It is therefore desired that a container be developed for the purposes of collecting unwanted substances, such as pet waste, that is not primarily derived from fossil fuels, e.g., is formed from renewable biomass resources, that is biodegradable/compostable into biomass, that functionally is as good as or better than using conventional plastic bags, and that has a reduce environmental impact, e.g., a lower carbon footprint.